Sample Food Menu for a 2-Year Old: One Mom’s Account

Sample Food Menu for a 2-Year Old: One Mom’s Account

 

Sample Menu for a 2-Year Old: One Mom’s Account

The sample menu below takes you through some examples of what I have recently been feeding my 2-year old son. This is by no means a comprehensive list…we move and change with the times and current circumstances occurring in our household! Every family has their own unique schedule and challenges, and we’re no different! When possible, I try to mix up the food options from day to day so that our toddler eats a wide variety of foods. I find that serving a variety of foods and switching things up encourages healthier nutrition and an open palette; it doesn’t allow my toddler to get overly comfortable eating and requesting the same foods over and over, consequently rejecting other food options we try to serve.

8:15 AM: Breakfast is Served!

Options for the Main Meal:

      • Steel cut oats with cardamom and nutmeg
      • Plain yogurt
      • Greek yogurt
      • Cereal with milk
      • Blueberry waffles

 

Options to Serve on the Side:

  • Freshly diced fruit (banana, berries, pear, apple, watermelon, etc.)
  • Cheese

 

Drink:

  • Milk or water in a sippy cup

 

10:00 AM: Did Someone Say Snack Time?

Options for Snack Time:

  • Fresh fruit smoothie for mom and kiddo (i.e.: mixed organic berries, fresh spinach, water)
  • Cottage cheese with diced apples
  • Fresh fruit

 

*Note: We often skip snack time if we’re out of the house doing an activity. My toddler comes back nice and hungry for a hearty lunch that holds him until the afternoon.

 

11:00 AM: It’s Lunch Time!

Options for the Main Meal:

  • Dinner leftovers from the previous night
  • Toddler Veggie Platter (served with hummus or yogurt dipping sauce for protein)
  • Avocado, Tomato, and Hummus Sandwich
  • Peanut Butter/Almond Butter Sandwich
  • Black beans, spinach, and tomatoes with cous cous or bulgur
  • Soft taco: Chicken or beans (previously made and stored in fridge/freezer), cheese, tomato, and spinach wrapped in whole wheat tortilla
  • Spinach and cheese omelet with fresh herbs and toast

 

Options to Serve on the Side:

  • Diced fruit (i.e.: avocado, pear, berries, watermelon, grapes, peach, apricot, plum, tomato)
  • Diced vegetables (i.e.: brightly colored bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)

 

Drink:

  • Water or milk in a sippy cup

 

3:30 PM: It’s Snack Time Again?!

Options for Snack Time:

  • Diced fresh fruit
  • Dried fruit (i.e.: raisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc.)
  • Whole wheat crackers with cheese, peanut butter, or almond butter
  • Cheese

 

Drink:

  • Water or milk in a sippy cup

 

5:30 or 6:00 PM: Dinner’s On the Table!

Options for the Main Meal:

*Note: If we’re cooking dinner at home, our son is expected to eat what the family eats for dinner, and we rarely make exceptions. When possible, we try to include a protein, whole grain, and/or vegetable in the meal. On evenings when my husband and I can’t cook and we need a quick dinner, we’ll serve our son sardines (they’re high in omegas!) with some vegetables on the side or one of the lunch options listed above. If we go to a restaurant as a family, our son currently shares the meal we order versus ordering off the kids menu.

  • Chicken, ground beef, or bean soft tacos
  • Whole wheat pasta tossed with sauce and vegetables
  • Slow cooker beef short ribs with Yukon Gold potatoes
  • Chicken tikka masala
  • Turkey cutlets
  • Lemon chicken with fresh herbs
  • Grilled salmon on a cedar plank
  • Grilled hamburgers
  • Lentil soup

 

Options to Serve on the Side:

  • Vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, spinach, kale, green peas, etc.)
  • Salad
  • Whole grain (i.e.: farro, bulgur, barley, wild rice, etc.)

 

Drink:

  • Water or milk in a sippy cup

 

What are some of your go-to meals for your toddlers? Tell us in the comments!  If you like what you’ve learned here, visit www.whatagoodeater.com for free recipes and eating tips for babies, toddlers, and family-friendly meals!

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Website: http://www.whatagoodeater.com/

 

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